This guide explains how to write an obituary in Australia for bereaved families, close friends and funeral organisers who want to create a respectful, meaningful notice. You will find a step-by-step structure, ready-to-use templates and practical wording tips, as well as guidance on where to publish – including how Forever In Our Hearts can serve as a permanent home for the full life story that a short newspaper notice cannot contain.
TL;DR
- An obituary covers who the person was, who they are survived by, key life moments and funeral or memorial details.
- Start with a clear opening sentence: name, age and date of passing. Build outward from there.
- Australian newspaper death notices typically run 100-200 words; a full biographical obituary is longer and suits an online platform.
- Templates are provided below for a short notice, a mid-length obituary and a longer life-story format.
- Proofread carefully – especially names, dates and family relationships.
- A newspaper notice has a word and cost limit. An online memorial gives you unlimited space to preserve the full story.
- Forever In Our Hearts provides a permanent online memorial page for $59 AUD – a lasting home for photos, life timeline, tributes and the full biographical detail a notice cannot hold.
Who this guide is for
Writing an obituary is one of the more personal tasks a family faces after a loss. It often falls to one person at a time when everyone is tired and emotional, and there is rarely a clear template or instruction set to hand. This guide is for anyone in that position – a family member, close friend, funeral director or celebrant who needs to write or help write a notice or obituary for someone who has passed.
It covers the practical steps: what to include, how to structure the notice, what language is appropriate, where to publish and what to do when a short newspaper entry does not feel like enough. If you are also planning a broader service or memorial, the Australian Funeral Directors Association has resources on the full range of end-of-life arrangements that run alongside the publication of a notice.
Writing about someone you love is hard. The goal of this guide is to make the practical side as straightforward as possible so you can focus on what matters – capturing something true about the person.
The difference between a death notice and an obituary
Australians often use these terms interchangeably, but they describe slightly different things.
A death notice (also called a funeral notice) is a short, factual announcement – usually under 150 words – published in a newspaper or on a funeral notices platform. It confirms the passing, names close family members and typically includes service details. It is the standard form families use to inform a community through outlets such as The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian or local state papers.
An obituary is longer and more personal. It tells the story of the person’s life – their career, relationships, achievements, personality and what they meant to those around them. Obituaries appear in newspapers (usually at a higher cost per word), on funeral home websites, on dedicated memorial platforms and increasingly in online tributes that families create themselves.
Both serve a purpose. A death notice announces. An obituary remembers. Many families publish both: a short notice in print and a fuller tribute online where space and cost are not constraints.
The Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants notes that an obituary is not simply a notice of death – it is a record of a life, and families should feel free to let the person’s own character come through in the writing. A notice that sounds like the person it describes will mean more to those who read it than one that follows a rigid formula.
What to include in an obituary
A well-written obituary covers four broad areas. You do not need all of them in equal depth, and you do not need to follow a rigid sequence. Use this as a checklist before you start writing:
Basic facts
- Full legal name, including any preferred name or nickname the person went by.
- Age at passing, or date of birth and date of death.
- Place of residence at the time of passing (suburb or town is enough).
- Cause of death, if the family is comfortable including it. “Passed peacefully after a brief illness” or “passed suddenly” are common Australian phrases when the family prefers not to name a condition.
Family relationships
- Surviving family: partner or spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, parents if still living.
- Predeceased relatives: those who passed before them, named with “(dec.)” or “(deceased)” where needed.
- Keep the family list warm but concise – long lists of full names and relationships can crowd out the personal detail.
Life story highlights
- Where they were born and grew up.
- Education, career or vocational life.
- Key life milestones: marriage, parenthood, community involvement, faith, significant achievements.
- Hobbies, passions and what they were known for among friends and family.
- A short personal memory or quality that captures who they were – this is often the most-read part of the notice.
Service and memorial details
- Funeral or memorial service date, time and location.
- Whether the service is open to the public or invite-only.
- Livestream details if applicable (increasingly common for families with interstate or overseas members).
- Any request in lieu of flowers – for example, a donation to a cause the person supported.
- Where to send condolences or view tributes online.
Step-by-step: how to write an obituary in Australia
Step 1: Gather information before you write
Writing goes faster when the facts are already in front of you. Before you open a blank document, gather the following:
- Full name, date of birth, date of passing.
- A list of immediate family members – names, relationships and whether any predeceased the person.
- Key life dates: when they graduated, married, retired, moved, or reached significant milestones.
- Two or three qualities, interests or memories that family and friends would recognise as distinctly them.
- Funeral or service details from the funeral director.
Step 2: Choose your format and length
Decide upfront whether you are writing a short death notice for a newspaper, a mid-length obituary or a full life-story tribute for an online platform. The format determines the word count and the level of personal detail that is appropriate.
- Short death notice: 80-150 words. Names, relationships, passing and service details. Common for daily newspaper print notices.
- Mid-length obituary: 200-400 words. A paragraph of personal life story plus the notice essentials. Common for funeral home websites or online notice boards.
- Full life-story tribute: 600 words and above. A genuine biographical portrait, suitable for an online memorial page where length is not limited by cost-per-word pricing. Online obituaries of 500 to 1,500 words are common on memorial platforms, according to Australian funeral industry guidance from Bare Cremation.
Step 3: Write a clear opening sentence
The first sentence carries the most weight. It should state who the person was, where they lived and when they passed – clearly and without flourish. Avoid starting with “It is with deep sadness” – it is very common and adds no information. Instead, name the person immediately:
“Margaret Anne Lawson, of Ballarat, passed away peacefully on 4 May 2026, aged 81.”
“Robert John Papadopoulos – beloved husband, father and grandfather – died suddenly on 30 April 2026 at the age of 67.”
Step 4: Write the family acknowledgements
Follow the opening with a warm, clear statement of family relationships. Australian convention typically lists surviving members first, then those who predeceased them:
“Dearly loved wife of Kevin (dec.), much-loved mother of Sarah and Tim, proud grandmother of Lachlan, Ella and James. Sister of Patricia and the late David.”
For longer obituaries, this can be expanded into a full paragraph. For short notices, keep it to two or three lines.
Step 5: Add a personal paragraph
For any obituary beyond a brief notice, add at least one paragraph about who the person was. This is where the writing earns its place. Avoid generic phrases like “will be greatly missed by all who knew her.” Instead, be specific:
- What did they do for work, and did they love it?
- What were they known for among friends and family?
- What did they love to do – garden, cook, fish, volunteer, travel?
- Was there a phrase, a habit, a quality that people will carry with them?
“Margaret spent 35 years as a primary school teacher in Ballarat and was known by former students long after they had grown up. She had a gift for remembering names and faces, and for making children feel seen. In retirement she was rarely without a novel, a walking group or a reason to have people over for dinner.”
Step 6: Close with service and tribute details
End the obituary with the practical information families and friends need: when and where the service is, whether it is open to all, and where condolences can be sent or tributes left. If the family has created an online memorial, include the link here so the notice becomes a gateway to the full life story.
Australian obituary templates
These templates can be copied and adapted. Replace the bracketed placeholders with the person’s actual details.
Template 1: Short death notice (newspaper format)
[Full Name], of [Suburb/Town], passed away peacefully on [Date], aged [Age]. Dearly loved [partner/husband/wife] of [Name]. Loving [parent/mother/father] of [Names]. [Grandparent] of [Names]. [Sibling] of [Names] and the late [Name]. The funeral service will be held at [Venue], [Address], on [Date] at [Time]. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to [Charity Name]. Enquiries to [Funeral Home Name], [Phone Number].
Template 2: Mid-length obituary (online notice or funeral home website)
[Full Name], beloved [husband/wife/partner] of [Name] and much-loved [parent] of [Names], passed away on [Date] in [City/Town], aged [Age].
[First Name] was born in [Birthplace] and spent [most of their life / many years] in [Location]. [He/She/They] worked as [Occupation or brief career summary] and was known for [quality, interest or contribution]. In later life, [he/she/they] was rarely without [hobby, activity or passion that defined them].
[He/She/They] is survived by [family summary]. [Name] was predeceased by [Name(s)] and will be deeply missed by all who knew [him/her/them].
A funeral service will be held at [Venue] on [Date] at [Time]. Family and friends are welcome. Donations in [his/her/their] memory may be made to [Charity]. Tributes and condolences may be left at [online memorial link].
Template 3: Full life-story tribute (online memorial or platform)
[Full Name] was born on [Date] in [Birthplace] and passed away on [Date], aged [Age]. [He/She/They] lived in [Location] for [number] years and was known to everyone who met [him/her/them] as [defining quality or short description].
[First Name] grew up [brief childhood context – siblings, location, schooling]. [He/She/They] went on to [education or early career] and later [significant career or life path]. [He/She/They] married [Name] in [Year] and together they [built a home / raised a family / shared a life] in [Location].
Outside of work, [First Name] was passionate about [interest 1], [interest 2] and [interest 3]. [He/She/They] was a [community role, club membership, faith community] and gave [his/her/their] time to [volunteer activity or cause]. Those who knew [him/her/them] best remember [personal quality or specific memory].
[He/She/They] is survived by [detailed family list]. [He/She/They] was predeceased by [Names] and is mourned by many friends and former colleagues.
A [funeral/memorial] service will be held at [Venue], [Address], on [Date] at [Time]. [Service is open to all / Immediate family only / Please RSVP to …]. Donations in [his/her/their] name may be made to [Charity]. To view [his/her/their] online memorial, leave a tribute or share a memory, visit [link].
Tips for tone and wording
Match the tone to the person
Not every obituary needs to be formally solemn. Some people would have wanted warmth and even gentle humour in the way they are remembered. A tone that matches the person’s personality is more memorable than one that follows a formula. If the person was known for their wit, it is entirely appropriate to let a hint of that through.
Be specific, not general
The most common weakness in obituaries is vagueness. Phrases like “touched many lives” and “will be fondly remembered” are warm but say nothing. Replace them with a specific detail: what they did, where they went, who they helped, what they made.
Write for the people who did not know them well
The close family know who this person was. Write with the acquaintance, the former colleague or the distant relative in mind – someone who only knew part of the story. Give them enough that they come away feeling they understand something real about the person’s life.
Proofread everything twice
Names, dates and family relationships are the parts most likely to contain errors and the ones families notice most. Proofread once for flow, once specifically for facts. Ask a second family member to read the final draft before submission.
Where to publish an obituary in Australia
Australian families typically publish through one or more of the following channels:
- Major newspapers: The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Courier-Mail, The Adelaide Advertiser, The West Australian and state-based regional papers. Notices are priced per word or per line – costs typically range from $96 to $243 or more depending on the publication and whether you include print and online.
- Online death notice platforms: My Tributes is one of the largest Australian-focused death notice and online tribute platforms, offering both print and online publishing options across a network of newspapers.
- Funeral home websites: Most Australian funeral homes publish a notice page as part of their service. Check with your funeral director about what is included.
- Online memorials: A longer life-story tribute suits an online memorial platform where length, photos and multimedia are not limited by cost-per-word pricing. An online memorial can host the full biographical tribute, a photo gallery, family contributions and more – and remains accessible for years after the service.
Beyond the notice: where Forever In Our Hearts can help
A newspaper notice does one thing well: it announces a passing and gives people the service details they need. What it cannot do is hold the full story. Word limits and cost-per-word pricing mean most families cut far more than they keep. The career arc, the specific memories, the photos from different decades, the messages from people who knew the person in different corners of their life – rarely any of it fits in a notice.
Forever In Our Hearts is an Australian online memorial platform that gives families a permanent, unlimited space for all of that. For a one-time $59 AUD payment, you can create a memorial page that holds a full biography, photo and video gallery, life timeline, digital order of service, grave location map, and a moderated online guest book where family and friends can leave tributes and memories. There are no recurring fees and no expiry date.
Many families write a short death notice for the newspaper and link it to their Forever In Our Hearts memorial so that anyone who reads the notice can follow through to the full life story, leave their own tribute and stay connected to the person’s memory. The memorial also generates a QR code that can be printed on order-of-service booklets, allowing guests at the funeral to scan and access the memorial immediately.
You can see examples of published memorials at memorials.foreverinourhearts.com.au, and read more about what a memorial includes at foreverinourhearts.com.au.
If the process of writing and grief feels difficult, support is available through The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement and Beyond Blue. You do not have to do this alone.
FAQs
How do you write an obituary in Australia?
Start with the person’s full name, age and date of passing. Add surviving and predeceased family members, a personal paragraph about who they were, and close with service details and any donation request. Keep the tone warm and specific – avoid generic phrases and favour concrete detail. The templates in this guide are ready to adapt for any length or format.
What is the difference between a death notice and an obituary in Australia?
A death notice is a brief factual announcement (typically 80-150 words) published in a newspaper or on a death notice platform to inform the community of the passing and provide service details. An obituary is longer and tells the person’s life story. Many families publish a short death notice in print and a fuller tribute online, where there are no word-count or cost-per-word limits.
How long should an obituary be?
There is no fixed rule. A short death notice for a newspaper runs 80-150 words. A mid-length obituary for a funeral home website or online platform is typically 200-400 words. A full life-story tribute for an online memorial can be 600 words or longer. Let the story guide the length rather than cutting to fit a format that is not the right fit for what you want to say.
How much does it cost to publish an obituary or death notice in Australia?
Costs vary by publication. Online death notices on platforms such as My Tributes start from around $135. Print notices in major newspapers typically range from $96 to $243 or more per insertion depending on the paper and word count. Publishing a full life-story tribute on an online memorial platform such as Forever In Our Hearts costs $59 AUD as a one-time payment with no word or photo limits.
What should you not include in an obituary?
Avoid including information that living family members have not approved – particularly cause of death if it is sensitive, estrangements or family conflicts, or details about minor children that the family would prefer to keep private. If the person had a complicated family situation, focus on relationships that were meaningful and that the family is comfortable acknowledging publicly. When in doubt, less is more.
Can I write an obituary without using a funeral home?
Yes. Families can write and submit a death notice directly to a newspaper or online notice platform without going through a funeral director. Most major Australian newspapers and notice platforms accept direct submissions from families. The Australian Funeral Directors Association can help you find a funeral director if you do want professional support with the broader arrangements.
Is there a way to share a longer tribute beyond the newspaper notice?
Yes. An online memorial page is the most practical way to share a full life-story tribute, photos, video and family contributions that a short notice cannot hold. You can link from the newspaper notice to the memorial so that anyone who reads the notice can follow through to the full story. Forever In Our Hearts provides this for a one-time $59 AUD payment – visit hub.foreverinourhearts.com.au to start a memorial.
A practical next step
Knowing how to write an obituary in Australia is something most families only need once, and rarely at a time when they feel ready. It does not have to be a single task completed under pressure. Start with the facts – name, dates, family – and let the personal paragraph come when you are ready. Use one of the templates above as a scaffold and adapt it to the person. Read it aloud before you finalise it. If something sounds wrong, it usually is.
When the notice is done, think about what is left unsaid. The stories, the photos, the things friends and colleagues would add if given the chance. An online memorial is where all of that lives – not as a replacement for the notice, but as the place the notice points toward.
If you are ready to create a memorial for your loved one, visit hub.foreverinourhearts.com.au to get started. Browse memorials.foreverinourhearts.com.au to see examples of how other families have preserved a life story in full.
